Chen Reiss Q&A

Music Lesson: Preparing for Performance

Question & Answer Session

Instructor: Would anybody like to ask any questions?

So, you've covered dramatic context, character, words, and music. When you open the score for the first time, how do you go about it?

Opening the Score

Usually, I start with the words for the simple reason that I know the music. Because usually, we sing operas that all of us know. So, if I have to sing Traviata or Carmen for the first time, I already know the melodies.

In my case, I sing a lot of Mozart operas, which I know very well. So, I definitely start with the words and with the character to see the situation, how she's feeling at this point in the opera. Then I start practicing at the piano.

• Putting it in the Voice:
  • We say that pianists need to "put it in the hands"; we need to "put it in the voice."
  • So, I sing each phrase ten times until it sits in the right place in the voice, until it feels right in the body.

Definitively, what always leads me are the words and the drama.

Preparing for Performance

Audience Question: Can you tell us? Is there anything specific that you do to prepare for a performance?

After I became a mother, everything changes. I don't have time anymore to think and to worry so much about everything.

But singers have to be very disciplined to keep the voice in good shape. I cannot say in perfect shape because it's never in perfect shape. The circumstances, it's always too cold, too hot, or I've not drunk enough water, or I didn't get enough sleep.

My Routine for Performance Preparation:

1. Sleep:

   • First of all, I try to get as much sleep as possible the night before and during the day.
   • I avoid being on the phone the day of a performance.

2. Physical Activity:

   • I do a lot of stretching, yoga, Pilates, lots of physical activity that day.
   • I need to get my body moving before I go to the theater.

3. Vocal Warm-Up:

   • I warm up the voice.

4. Eating Habits:

   • I eat light meals but frequently, and I know some singers don't eat hours before a performance.
   • I have to eat, say, two hours before.
   • During intermission, I always have an apple or a banana. Energy is crucial!

5. Hydration:

   • Plenty of water and concentrating on the role I'm singing that night are essential.

As I said, when you have little kids, they distract you, and everything I just mentioned often doesn't happen. Yet, the voice somehow works!

After years of experience, I wouldn't recommend skipping these routines to beginners. If you're a beginner, be very strict:

• Don't go out the night before.
• Avoid smoking.
• Eat healthy!

You are, in a way, a servant of your voice.

Maintaining Vocal Health

Audience Question: Can you tell me if you do other things to keep your voice in good form day to day?

Yes! So, I definitely, like I said, do yoga and Pilates. It helps me.

• Daily Habits:
  • I sleep a lot.
  • I drink a lot of water.
  • I don't drink alcohol or coffee.
  • I'm very disciplined about what I eat, which helps.
  • I simply don't party. Yes, I miss out on all the fun.

Managing Performance Nerves

Audience Question: You seem so confident in front of audiences. Do you actually get nerves, and how do you manage them?

Oh, yes, definitely! I get nervous. It's much easier to teach than to sing.

Before a big premiere, you don't want to be in the room with me. The whole week leading up to an opera premiere is very stressful.

• Challenges:
  • A lot of rehearsals can be tiring for both the voice and the mind.
  • Sometimes you have to deal with people who aren't the nicest.

Sometimes everything works fantastically, with a great stage director, and it's a lot of fun. But other times, the stage director has different ideas.

Coping Strategies:

• I try to keep calm and happy.
• I laugh a lot, watch comedies, and try to be lighthearted.

I definitely feel nervous, but it's not so bad. The nerves, the adrenaline, give you energy. I love the feeling of performance!

Sometimes I get a bit heavy and bored during rehearsals, but when the audience is there, I actually sing better because I have more energy. The audience gives you energy.

Closing Appreciation

Well, what a wonderful afternoon we've had. Nobody wanted it to end.

Let's express our appreciation first to Timothy. Yes.